The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) has released its annual update to the Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft, Supplement 55. The CD and manual of Supplement 55 are now available for purchase.  

Among the many important standard revisions are changes to A-24, Carbon Monoxide Detections Systems on Boats and seat testing found in H-31, Seat Structures. Additionally, E-11, AC and DC Electrical Systems on Boats was improved for better differentiation between AC and DC requirements.

The full list of revised standards include A-14, Gasoline and Propane Gas Detection Systems; A-24, Carbon Monoxide Detection Systems on Boats; A-31, Battery Chargers and Inverters; E-11, AC and DC Electrical Systems on Boats; H-4, Cockpit Drainage Systems; H-31, Seat Structures; H-33, Diesel Fuel Systems; and S-7, Boat Capacity Labels.

“This supplement has numerous important updates addressing relative issues in the recreation boating industry,” said ABYC Technical Director Brian Goodwin. “It is imperative that boat builders, and repair faculties are up-to-date on these changes.”

Standards such as these provide the framework for the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Boat & Yacht Certification program, and are a reliable and authoritative reference for evaluating issues of design, construction, maintenance and product performance. More than 85 percent of boats built in the United States are certified by NMMA using ABYC Standards.

Online access to the standards is free for ABYC members. The Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft is also available for purchase as a CD or soft bound manual. To place an order or to learn about how you can join ABYC please visit www.abycinc.org.